Thursday 21st January 2010 @ Colston Hall, Bristol

Tonight is the opening event of Bristol’s 6th Silent Comedy Festival, a weeklong celebration of all things slapstick; or as tonight’s host, Graeme Garden, puts it; “visual comedy heaven.” Quite. The whole evening has a very calm, relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere and this is typified by a certain Michael Palin knocking around the Colston Hall foyer before proceedings get underway, smiling widely and signing autographs. He is the special, headline guest for tonight’s gala event and when we do start, no time is wasted in bringing him onstage. Palin and Garden sit in two ludicrously comfortable, golden armchairs and we spend the next 40 minutes having Palin’s comedy past thoroughly picked through.

We examine his youth, his influences, his university years, his early TV work, the Python years, Hollywood, and end by touching on his love of travel; “What is the funniest country you’ve ever been to?” inquires Garden and, with a laugh, Palin tells us all of the Czechs’ surprisingly good sense of humour. It’s all good natured and fun but is also all old ground and stuff that Palin has talked about at every interview he’s done for the last 10 years. He happily plays ball though and, to his credit, is charming and witty.

The interview, though interesting, could have done with a bit more pep but just enough was provided by the three or four video interludes when we watched carefully selected visual comedy highlights of Palin’s (much) younger years; clips from Do Not Adjust Your Set, Monty Python and A Fish Called Wanda (amongst many others) provoking gales of laughter throughout Colston Hall.

A short interval follows and we are soon invited back in to watch a screening of Buster Keaton’s classic 1924 silent comedy, The Navigator – slapstick comedy at it’s finest – and as an extra special treat, the film is given a full band accompaniment by the European Silent Screen Virtuoso featuring piano, drums, double bass, clarinet and a certain Dick Williams on cornet (yes, he of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? fame). Their playing is flawless and provides the perfect soundtrack as Keaton battles swordfish, cannibals and stumbles his way through many other adventures on an ocean liner lost at sea.

The night was put together very slickly and provided the perfect opening event to Bristol’s 6th Festival of Slapstick. There are plenty of other events on throughout the week so get onto the website and get laughing!

www.slapstick.org.uk

Matthew Whittle www.matthewwhittleblog.blogspot.com